Blogs
Bridget Jelley
Winter Wellbeing 101

Keeping our minds resilient and strong is important no matter the time of year, but in the winter months, especially as our days grow shorter and the sun slants lower in the sky, we need to put in more effort.

Blogs
Bridget Jelley
Did you say 'feedback'?

I asked a group of individuals in a performance session recently, what comes to mind when they think about feedback.

Connection

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Combating Loneliness in an Ever-Changing World: The Power of Workplace Friendships

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Combating Loneliness in an Ever-Changing World: The Power of Workplace Friendships

"Combating Loneliness in an Ever-Changing World: The Power of Workplace Friendships"

In today’s fast-paced, remote-first world, loneliness is becoming a silent epidemic—and it’s spilling into the workplace. But there’s good news: friendships at work can change everything. From reducing stress and boosting resilience to improving job satisfaction, genuine connections with colleagues are more than just a nice-to-have; they’re a must.

In this blog, we explore the science behind workplace friendships, how they combat loneliness, and why they’re crucial for both personal wellbeing and professional success. Whether you’re a "blender" who thrives on work relationships or a "separator" who values clear boundaries, investing in the people around you is key to creating a thriving workplace culture.

Read the full blog to discover why workplace friendships matter more than ever.

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How Can Leaders Create Connectedness at Work?

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How Can Leaders Create Connectedness at Work?

Workplaces can be the drivers of positive mental health outcomes.

We live in a world where a huge number of people suffer from mental ill health and access to help is poor. As employers, why not go a step further from just ‘not making things worse’ to actually making things better?

Creating social-connectedness at work is one opportunity for leaders to impact their people positively. Loneliness experienced at home can seep into the workplace and leaders have the power to not only prevent work-based loneliness, but combat loneliness overall.

Workplaces can be the engines that drive a socially connected world.

How can leaders create an environment that fosters social connection?

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What is Psychological Well-being at Work?

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What is Psychological Well-being at Work?

Most people are familiar with the terms burnout and stress, and have an understanding of what poor workplace mental health looks like. But what is it that we are aiming for? What does a psychologically ‘well’ workplace look like?

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How to Talk About Mental Health at Work

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How to Talk About Mental Health at Work

Mental Health - we all have it, and yet it can be difficult to talk about, especially at work.

October 10th 2023 is World Mental Health day and the theme this year is ‘Mental Health is a universal human right.’

How do you actually bring up the topic? Or, if someone else lets you know they’re struggling, how should you reply?

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Mental Health Tips for Working Parents in the School Holidays

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Mental Health Tips for Working Parents in the School Holidays

The school holiday / work juggle struggle is real.

Whether you are a working parent managing stress, or you wish you had more time to spend with your kids, this blog covers mental health tips to help you stay grounded and anxiety-free at work and home during the school holidays.

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Can AI Prevent Burnout?

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Can AI Prevent Burnout?

Burnout: a state of mental and physical exhaustion, characterised by feelings of cynicism, depletion and distance from our work.

AI: the simulation of human intelligence by machines, and used for everything from data analysis to customer service and even creating art and writing romance novels.

Can Artificial Intelligence help us to beat burnout, and regain our sense of humanity at work?

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How to Increase Your Social Connectedness - Even if You Work Remote

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How to Increase Your Social Connectedness - Even if You Work Remote

Developing strategies to increase opportunities for social connection is a major research concern that is impacting public health policy globally at multiple levels; from the design of community living spaces to employment regulations, public health campaigns and how we harness technology.

What can individuals do to ensure they are getting the social connection they need for mental and physical wellbeing?

Firstly, establish how much social connection you need.

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Loneliness: A Psychosocial Hazard?

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Loneliness: A Psychosocial Hazard?

Canada - that bastion of forward thinking - is currently working on developing public health guidelines for social connection to improve population mental health, and control mental and physical health risks. Bit like your five a day, but in chit-chats rather than fruit and veg.

Does that mean Friday night pizza parties are back on the work perks list, or should even form part of your Psychosocial Risk Management plan?. (TLDR: no. For more nuance, read on).

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Psychosocial Hazards and Community Trauma

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Psychosocial Hazards and Community Trauma

When Psychosocial Hazards are outside your control, but are impacting your people, what can you do?

What if everyone at work is dealing with the same trauma simultaneously? How can leaders equip themselves to support their people through traumatic events that are impacting entire communities?

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Psychosocial Risk Management Series - Part 1: What is Psychosocial Risk?

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Psychosocial Risk Management Series - Part 1: What is Psychosocial Risk?

What does a shared hatred of bad parking have to do with Psychosocial Risk Management within a world-renowned aeronautical engineering company?

Recently, a friend told me about the staff communications channel within their new job role. The channel includes a multitude of totally non-work related employee group chats, on topics ranging from a love of cats to photos and commentary of terrible parking in their neighbourhoods.

Why would an organisation - especially one with a very serious image - encourage what some might consider frivolous oversharing of personal trivia during company time?

The answer - (in part, at least): Psychosocial Risk Management.

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Staying Connected: A Guide for Introverts

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Staying Connected: A Guide for Introverts

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 has just come to an end. The theme this year was ‘Reconnect - with the people and places that lift you up, hei pikinga waiora.’

The positive mental health benefits of connection are clear.

Research has found that:

  • Happier people tend to have strong social relationships

  • Social networks promote a sense of belonging and wellbeing

  • People with a higher number of close connections (three or more) were found to have a lower incidence of mental health conditions.

  • You can explore some of the research on this via the MHAW website here

But how can this help people who struggle to stay social?